Conversions feared as Catholic becomes UN refugee chief
Mithuro
Tuesday, 24 May 2005
Relief workers around the world expressed "grave reservations" about the nomination of a devout Catholic to head the UN refugee body.
UN chief Kofi Annan nominated former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres who was once accused of using his position to block a move to give abortion rights to women, as the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
"Former Prime Minister Guterres is a highly respected international statesman with a wealth of experience that will be of enormous benefit to the world's 17 million refugees and others of concern," Acting High Commissioner Wendy Chamberlin said. "We look forward to carrying on UNHCR's global work under his able leadership."
But relief workers fear that Guterres would use his authority to spread Catholicism among vulnerable refugees and internally displaced persons.
Eyebrows were also raised yesterday when the UN tsunami envoy Bill Clinton, the former US president, visited Vatican to brief on his activities in tsunami affected regions.
"We have Wolfowitz in the World Bank to look after military-industrial interests and Ann Veneman in UNICEF to look after corporate interests," aid worker Lasantha Silva said. "Now we are going to have Guterres in UNHCR to look after Catholic interests. But we have no one to look after the interests of the poor, the children, and refugees."
"Refugees and IDPs are vulnerable people, which make them easy targets for conversion," he added. "And we know that Guterres has let his faith get the better of him when he was running Portugal. We have to keep a close eye on him to make sure that he doesn't abuse his power as the high commissioner to convert refugees to Catholicism."
Catholic Church has come under repeated heavy criticism for converting vulnerable social groups.
The late Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who is on the fast-track to sainthood, encouraged members of her order to baptize dying patients, without regard to the individual's religion.
Tuesday, 24 May 2005
Relief workers around the world expressed "grave reservations" about the nomination of a devout Catholic to head the UN refugee body.
UN chief Kofi Annan nominated former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres who was once accused of using his position to block a move to give abortion rights to women, as the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
"Former Prime Minister Guterres is a highly respected international statesman with a wealth of experience that will be of enormous benefit to the world's 17 million refugees and others of concern," Acting High Commissioner Wendy Chamberlin said. "We look forward to carrying on UNHCR's global work under his able leadership."
But relief workers fear that Guterres would use his authority to spread Catholicism among vulnerable refugees and internally displaced persons.
Eyebrows were also raised yesterday when the UN tsunami envoy Bill Clinton, the former US president, visited Vatican to brief on his activities in tsunami affected regions.
"We have Wolfowitz in the World Bank to look after military-industrial interests and Ann Veneman in UNICEF to look after corporate interests," aid worker Lasantha Silva said. "Now we are going to have Guterres in UNHCR to look after Catholic interests. But we have no one to look after the interests of the poor, the children, and refugees."
"Refugees and IDPs are vulnerable people, which make them easy targets for conversion," he added. "And we know that Guterres has let his faith get the better of him when he was running Portugal. We have to keep a close eye on him to make sure that he doesn't abuse his power as the high commissioner to convert refugees to Catholicism."
Catholic Church has come under repeated heavy criticism for converting vulnerable social groups.
The late Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who is on the fast-track to sainthood, encouraged members of her order to baptize dying patients, without regard to the individual's religion.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home